Numbers growing for PIHS swim team
By Jon Gulliver
Staff writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The numbers are growing for the Presque Isle High School swim team. This year 23 boys and girls will take the pool for the Wildcats and coach Joyce Price.
Staff photo/Jon Gulliver
JACKIE LAMBERT of Presque Isle High School takes a break after swimming a few laps during practice last week. The swim team’s first meet is the PVC relays in Orono on Dec. 9
This year’s team will be heavy on the sophomores and freshmen, with only five seniors on the team. They are Sarah McEachern and Erica Hemphill, who are four-year swimmers, Tristan Russell and Grace Short, who have been on the team for three years and Jay Getman, who is new to the team this season.
Returning sophomore swimmers are Nate Dewitt, Issac Estey, Dustin Drabek, Sara Gilson, Alex Hemphill, Joshua Jones, Jacqueline Lambert, Naomi McEachern, Erikka Murley and Heather Nadeau.
There are seven other new teammates, including junior Emma Michalowski, sophomore Cyle McCleary and freshmen Davis Cyr, Brendan and Olivia Goulet, Mary Mitchell, Keegan Ennis and Laura Watson. The managers are seniors Barbara Bonville and Brittany Burlock.
Coach Price said there is some returning talent from last year’s teams. On the girls’ team, which went 7-4 last year, Hemphill qualified for the New England meet after placing third in the 50-yard freestyle at the state championships. She was also seventh in the 100-yard freestyle. Short was 18th in the 100-yard breaststroke and Murley was seventh in the 100-yard butterfly and 22nd in the 200-yard individual medley.
Estey, who finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke at the state meet, is back for the boy’s team, which went 6-4 last year.
Ten returning swimmers were also All-Aroostook last year. They are Short, Russell, McEachern, Lambert, E. Hemphill, A. Hemphill, Dewitt, Gilson and Estey.
Since the team doesn’t have the numbers of a Bangor High squad (150 athletes) each swimmer will be required to swim freestyle, relays and other events as needed according to the coach.
Staff photo/Jon Gulliver
DAVID CYR practices his stroke during PIHS swim practice last week.
“I am hoping all the swimmers will improve their times, strokes, build endurance and hopefully qualify for States,” said Price. “I hope that each team member will have fun, learn developmental swimming skills and leadership to make this year a successful year.”
The first meet of the year is the Penobscot Valley Conference relays at UMO on Dec. 9. The Wildcats will have three home swim meets this year, Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.
